Boys Before Flowers, episode 14
First time I’ve been so glad that Ji Hoo was there for Jandi. I still don’t particularly ship them like I did with Makino and Rui, but at least I don’t feel that Jandi’s just hanging out with Ji Hoo for some weird pity party.
This episode was really dialogue heavy. For most of them, I only translated the dialogues because paraphrasing the conversations isn’t good enough. With that said, these recaps are getting wordier and wordier — almost clocking in at 4000 words.
Recap of episode 14
Continuing on our boat journey down the “Venice” river. Soon, F3 and Jandi come across some girl who’s on her own boat, serenading the rafter instead of being serenaded. Jandi recognizes her almost immediately and Woobin wonders, “She can’t be Korean, is she? She’s losing face for our country!” (Well okay, it’s not that serious.) Jandi says that no, she’s someone who saved her life.
Jun Pyo and his mother greet the people from JK Group. Jun Pyo’s mother wonders to JK Group’s owner where their daughter is and how long it’s been since she last saw her. The JK mom insists Jun Pyo’s mom not to have too high an expectation. (Ah, the beauties of Asian Parent X complimenting Asian Parent Y’s kid and Asian Parent Y being humble and insisting that there’s nothing to compliment. :Dv)
Meanwhile, back at Shinhwa headquarters, Jun Pyo’s giving a very impressive business presentation on the advantages of the Shinhwa/JK Group collaboration, and how it will lead to expansions and profit. Everybody gives him a standing ovation afterward.
Jandi and F3 are hanging out and Yi Jung suggests that they go have dinner. Woobin knows a nice place in the area. The four arrive at the restaurant and as they ascend the stairs, Hyunjoong spots Jun Pyo with his mother and two business associates, and turns around to suggest that they go somewhere else. Yi Jung catches his drift and asks if he changed his mind and wants Italian instead. He in turn signals Woobin that they have to go elsewhere. They all leave.
Somebody mysteriously sends some photos to Jun Pyo via picture messaging. Jun Pyo looks at pictures of Jandi and Ji Hoo on the boat ride together. His mother notices his distracted face and to break the awkward silence, suggests the four of them in company have a toast. After they’re done toasting, Jun Pyo looks some more at the pictures he received.
Back at the hotel, Jandi’s thinking by herself when Ji Hoo comes in. Ji Hoo asks Jandi if she’s alright, if she’s starting to regret coming to Macau. Jandi doesn’t say she regrets it, but she wonders if this is all a dream. All she wants to do is see how Jun Pyo was doing. She laments that her time spent with Jun Pyo seems to be so long ago, and if Jun Pyo really pretended to not know her, she would think this entire thing was a dream.
Ji Hoo responds,
It’s not a dream. If it were a dream, it wouldn’t hurt so much. I know this because after I sent you away, I couldn’t do anything properly. When I got to my senses, I was already on the plane. It’s not a dream. You’re right in front of me.
(This bit of dialogue seems really cryptic to me. In retrospect, it may be foreshadow, but the way the writer chose to write it makes it seem vague — but not in a smart, subtle way.)
Then he bids Jandi goodnight and takes his leave.
The next morning, we find Jun Pyo asleep in bed. A hotel service member comes in and blows on a trumpet to try to get Jun Pyo out of bed. The guy (named Deschino) blows on the instrument till he’s red in the face and Jun Pyo gets out. Jun Pyo pats Deschino on the back and tells him that if he weren’t the manager, he would’ve been fired long ago. (Lee Minho’s I-just-woke-up-and-am-slurring-my-speech is so adorable, and it’s been a while since Jun Pyo’s been this goofy.)
At the golf course, Secretary Jung dictates to Jun Pyo the schedule for the day. Business meeting here, luncheon there, and there’s one more thing. What is it? Well, F3 are here and Jun Pyo should take some time out to meet with them. Jun Pyo dismisses Sec Jung and tells him he’s busy. The secretary tells him that F3 have been trying to get in contact with Jun Pyo for a while now, but Jun Pyo cuts him off. He has no time for this. Should he maybe cancel all his appointments and neglect his responsibilities so he can go hang out with them?
Then Jun Pyo takes a shot at the golf ball and misses the hole. He curses at the grass (jandi) and storms off in anger. Secretary Jung gets a phone call at that moment from Yi Jung. (I love that Sec Jung has Yi Jung programmed into his phone as “Master Yi Jung.”)
Jun Pyo and his mother, along with Secretary Jung proceed to do their business thang. They sign document after document. Afterward, Secretary Jung brings Jun Pyo to his next appointment. Jun Pyo notes the odd meeting place — a sports rec center.
When Jun Pyo goes in, it’s F3, dressed in basketball gear. They greet Jun Pyo, remarking how long it’s been and how they all had to come in person just to find the ever elusive Shinhwa manager. Jun Pyo says, without much conviction, that he’s glad to see them. Ji Hoo asks him if he was being sincere about it.
Yi Jung comments that Geum Jandi also came with them; actually, she came just to see him. Has he seen her yet? Jun Pyo answers coldly, “Why would I do that?” (Snap.) He goes on to say that the girl has nothing to do with him anymore. All of F3 are surprised at his answer.
Yi Jung: Have you been cutting all contact with Jandi on purpose?
Jun Pyo: It doesn’t matter if it’s on purpose or not, I don’t have the time to worry about these matters.
Ji Hoo: “These matters”?
Woobin: Do you mean what you said?
Jun Pyo: It’s been so long since we’ve met, and all you want to talk about something as useless as this?
Yi Jung: And you consider yourself a man?
Jun Pyo: Why? Don’t you guys always want women? I can’t?
Yi Jung: Even if we dated and broke up ten times, we still wouldn’t be like you.
At this, Yi Jung loses his temper and rushes over to Jun Pyo before Woobin stops him. Yi Jung reminds Jun Pyo,
Do you remember what you said to me back then? Didn’t you say a real man takes responsibility to the very end?
Jun Pyo: You took that as the truth? You guys didn’t really think I would take this with her to the very end, did you?
Yi Jung really doesn’t take this well at all. He runs over to Jun Pyo, grabs him by the collar and asks angrily, “Geum Jandi can’t swim anymore because of who?!” To his credit, Jun Pyo has a look of surprise on his face, but it doesn’t stay on for long because Yi Jung clocks him right after. Woobin tries to mediate, but Yi Jung can’t calm down. Jun Pyo gets back up and asks calmly, “What is this? You’re not acting like my friends, so now you’re all Geum Jandi’s dark knights? If you want to hang out, then fine. If you want to keep talking about Geum Jandi, leave immediately.”
As Jun Pyo walks away, Woobin asks, “Why are you like this?” Jun Pyo stops,
700,000. Under the Shinhwa name, I am responsible for service people and their families. There are at least 700,000 of them. You try and take responsibility for 700,000 lives and we’ll see if you change.
(At first, I was really surprised that Yi Jung was the one to get so angry at Jun Pyo, seeing as he was always on Jun Pyo’s side during all the sports competitions. But in retrospect, I don’t think it’s actually Yi Jung that needed to be angry — the director just doesn’t think Hyunjoong can carry the scene, lol. Kim Bum did a fairly good job, though his loud anger didn’t resonate as much as Jun Pyo’s silent coldness did.)
Jandi is waiting around one of the hotels, and sees a Shinhwa commercial play on one of the big screens, starring none other than Jun Pyo himself. Before long, F3 come and none of them look too pleased. Jandi asks how Jun Pyo’s doing and none of them give her the look she wants. She asked what was wrong and Yi Jung remarks that Jun Pyo’s become odd. Woobin holds Yi Jung back before he slips out more, but Yi Jung says that Jandi must already know, right? Woobin reassures her that it must be the stress of having to head something as large as Shinhwa. Jandi asks hesitantly, “He…doesn’t want to see me?” Yi Jung asks how she knew, and Woobin is surprised as well. Jandi tells them in a sadly cheerful way that they shouldn’t worry, and whatever Jun Pyo wants to say, she wants to hear him say it in person. Woobin says that this indeed is the Geum Jandi they knew.
Then, Woobin changes the subject and makes a remark about how nice the weather is, and suggests they all do something F3 did as kids. Hide and seek! With masks on! The three run around to find a hiding spot as Woobin (the loser of rock, paper, scissor) counts. As Jandi rushes around to look for a hiding spot, Ji Hoo grabs her into his before she got caught.
While the two are hiding, another commercial with Jun Pyo plays, and Jandi starts to cry. Ji Hoo tries to take her mask off, but she keeps it on so he doesn’t see her tears. He hugs her close.
After, Ji Hoo waits outside of Jun Pyo’s hotel, and soon enough, Jun Pyo shows up.
Ji Hoo: I’m asking as a friend.
Jun Pyo: Say it.
Ji Hoo: Meet with her, just once.
Jun Pyo: Why would I do that?
Ji Hoo: Didn’t I say I was asking as a friend?
Jun Pyo: Why would you request something like that?
Ji Hoo: For now, that’s all I can do.
(They stand in front of a pool to have this convo. The Romance Gods want Jun Pyo to feel bad, heh.)
Ji Hoo is back in his hotel room when we get a flashback of Jandi carrying her stuff to Ji Hoo’s house. She tells him that she has something to say, and after this, she might not feel the need to mention it again. She says, “Sunbae, knowing you has been my good fortune.”
Ji Hoo goes to Jandi’s room to wake her up. It’s early, but he has to bring her somewhere. They go back to the Venice river area in the market and Ji Hoo leaves her there, saying that the reason she’s here is on there, on the bridge.
Jandi slowly walks up the bridge and there he is, Jun Pyo. She goes up to him, and for the first time, she’s at a loss for words around Gu Jun Pyo.
Jandi: Hello. I’m here.
Jun Pyo: Yes. Why exactly did you come for?
Jandi: After hearing news about your father, I’ve been worried for you.
Jun Pyo: Thanks. But, you came here just to tell me that? You’re really just bored to death, aren’t you?
Jandi: …What?
Jun Pyo: So if you see that I’m doing well, if you know that I’m really busy, after you’ve seen for yourself, go. You don’t need to be worried for me. (Pause.) What, you still have something to say?
Jandi: Do you…do you really mean that?
Jun Pyo: What do you want? You didn’t mean…”sorry,” “forgive me,” “I’m going to come back quickly,” “wait for me”…you’re waiting for me to utter these lines?
Jandi: Why are you like this?
Jun Pyo: I’ve only just started to wake up and look at reality.
Jandi: I understand. I know what you’re saying now. Pretending not to know me, not wanting to see me, you really meant to do that. To you, I’m –
Jun Pyo: It’s like an existence where you want to get rid of a stain.
Jandi: You’re really hateful, Gu Jun Pyo. Really hateful.
Jun Pyo: No. I’ve always been like this. I’ve just been pretending that I wasn’t.
Jandi: I’m going. Take care.
Jun Pyo: You worry about yourself.
Both take their leave, walking in opposite directions.
Jandi sits down by the bridge post and wants to take a ride on one of the boats. The rafter says that she is his lucky lady because she’s his first customer of the day. Jandi wants to pay to hear a song, but the rafter treats her to one without fee.
As he sings, Jandi thinks back to her and Jun Pyo’s happier memories. “Our first night,” Jun Pyo waiting for her in the snow, Jun Pyo declaring to everybody that she’s his girlfriend, their date in New Caledonia, his present for her, him showing her his heart, him rescuing her after the hazing, ice skating together, his star necklace for her, rescuing her in the snow, their kiss in the log cabin. As Jandi remembers in earnest, she starts to cry harder and harder.
Jun Pyo’s mom is looking at pictures taken of Jandi and Jun Pyo having a conversation on the bridge. Jun Pyo storms in in rage.
Jun Pyo: Now are you satisfied? Madam Kang, are you satisifed?
M. Kang: Well…I couldn’t imagine that this girl is once again a topic of conversation. [M. Kang uses a slang term for "that girl," which is a brash way to refer to a lady; it means more like servant girl.]
Jun Pyo: She’s not “that girl.” She’s my — your son — she’s the first love of my life.
Madam Kang wonders, well what is he going to do about that? Is he going to neglect his responsibilities? Shinhwa Group? What about all the work that his father spent on the establishment? Jun Pyo gets increasingly angry with each thing she says and tells her to shut her mouth. Before he goes, he says that if she breaks the promise, he’ll destroy everything he’s done [for the company] so far.
Jandi wanders around and sits down to rest. Ji Hoo pops up behind her and asks for the pretty girl to buy some of his ice cream. Ji Hoo says that he’ll take payment in form of one whole day with her. The two play around, go shopping, get a foot massage.
At home, the Geum family is still putting together the dolls. Jandi’s dad wonders if she’s doing alright, and Jandi’s mom reassures him that she is; after all, no news is good news. Before long, Kang San starts feeling really uncomfortable, and his parents panic before taking him to the hospital.
In another scene, we see the grandpa from the past episodes tend to a mother, who’s at the clinic with her daughter. After they leave, the grandpa sadly looks at a picture of him and his family, back from when he was still president. In his lap is Ji Hoo as a kid, and he thinks back to when he saw Ji Hoo in front of the porridge shop the other day. Before long, Jandi’s parents bring a sick Kang San in.
Jandi looks at a very pretty pair of shoes on display at a shop that she and Ji Hoo stopped at. As she looks on, Jun Pyo and Secretary Jung walk past the store. Jun Pyo spots Jandi admiring the shoes, and lingers for a long moment before walking away. Back inside the store, Jandi sees a ridiculously huge pricetag on the pair of shoes and puts them back in their place in surprise. Before long, Ji Hoo’s done with whatever he was looking at and tells her it’s time to go. They go see a Circ du Soleil-esque performance.
Back in the store that Ji Hoo and Jandi were just at, Chae Kyung looks around when she spots the shoes that Jandi was looking at before. Just as she makes a grab for them, Jun Pyo makes a grab for them as well. The two fight over who got to the shoes first before Secretary Jung apologizes to Chae Kyung. The thing is, though, Jun Pyo doesn’t know the size he needs to get. Jun Pyo uses Chae Kyung to see if they fit, and fit they do. ‘Cept now she won’t take them off, so ha! The two run around the store and before long, Jun Pyo grabs Chae Kyung and she falls back on him, prince-dancing-with-lady style. HAHA.
(Again, what did we say about Lee Min Jung never speaking Chinese again?!)
In the meantime, Jandi and Ji Hoo make an agreement to leave the day after.
Jun Pyo’s sitting alone in a huge Shinhwa conference room, looking at pictures of Jandi. He thinks back to their times together as well, before Jandi’s video starts to play. He listens to her message with a smile. Near the end of the message, Jandi lets a tear fall and when she asks him when they get to fight again, Jun Pyo grits his teeth and gets up to go.
Just as he does, another video starts to play. It’s his dad taking him, as a kid, to take a plane together. His dad asks little Jun Pyo what he’s going to do when dad’s not around anymore, and small Jun Pyo answers him cheerfully that he’ll take care of his mother and sister, as well as Shinhwa. They make a promise together “as men.” Jun Pyo lets a few more tears fall before screaming his frustration. (My GOD, Lee Minho is good at what he does.)
Ji Hoo and Jandi wait together the next morning and just as they’re waiting, a friend of Ji Hoo’s sees them. Ming, the friend, asks how long they’re going to stay in Macau and to his disappointment, Ji Hoo says they’re leaving now. Ming protests and sees Jandi, and asks her if she’s Ji Hoo’s girlfriend. If she says it’s okay, can they stay? Ming grabs Jandi away and says that he’s sick and asks her a favor, if she and Ji Hoo can go to his house for one day. Jandi confusedly agrees.
The three go to Ming’s place and Ming prepares lots of food. Jandi asks how his Korean is so good and Ming replies that …Ji Hoo’s Korean. LOL. She gets ready to take a drink of water from a cup, but Ming doesn’t allow her because it’s a cup only Ji Hoo can use.
When the three have their meal, Jandi seems to be back to her usual food-loving self. (For once, I am so glad Gu Hye Sun kicked the spunk back in. It’s depressing to see her so sad.)
Ming and Ji Hoo have a moment on the balcony, and Ming remarks that Ji Hoo must like that girl. Why? Because he smiles when he sees her. In fact, he is with Jandi the way he was with Seo Hyun. Dun dun dun.
At the hotel, Jun Pyo’s on the phone and he’s asking a receptionist for Jandi’s room number, only to find out that she’s already been checked out. When he goes to Secretary Jung to tend to some business, he asks Sec Jung if Ji Hoo already left. Secretary Jung replies that to his knowledge, Ji Hoo went with Jandi to a friend’s. He doesn’t know what they’re up to and offers to check for Jun Pyo, but Jun Pyo tells him it’s okay.
Ji Hoo and Jandi continue to enjoy their day in Macau by visiting various scenic spots in the city.
Annnnnnnd scene.
(OMG we get NG scenes of Jun Pyo/Jandi’s kiss scene in the log cabin. NG scenes during kisses must SUCK, hahaha. But probably not so much if one gets to kiss Lee Minho.)
I can already tell that it’s gonna be sad watching the Shigeru/Chae Kyung character get into this, because she’s really hard to hate. At first I was wary how the K-version was going to handle her, because Kdramas tend to make secondary female leads really bitchy and irrational, but Chae Kyung is way too warm-hearted and adorable. I never jumped ship when I was watching the J-version of Hanadan, but it was sad seeing Tsukasa never fall in love with Shigeru the way she did with him. Plus, Lee Min Jung and Lee Minho seem to have really great chemistry; it’s just a waste knowing the improbable outcome of their pairing.
Regarding Jandi’s parents — I think at this point, they still don’t realize that Jun Pyo has gone off and has made promises to his mother about not being together with Jandi, so in their minds, he’s still “Gu son-in-law.” But like I said earlier, I hope the K-version takes advantage of the appreciation that Jun Pyo has shown Jandi’s family and they guilt trip him somehow. I don’t mean guilt trip in the way that they’re tricking his emotions, but I hope they play an important part in making him realize that he’s missing something important in his life. Angst!
Amy Reply:
February 18th, 2009 at 7:06 am
oooh, you’ve already watched the ep? that’s surprising! i know you usually make it a habit to wait awhile for subs (with s2′s?).
with that said though, thank you for the comment! it’s really nice to hear that someone actually reads these, haha.
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